


stop the world (melt with you)

by Iambic



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Implied Sibling Incest, M/M, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-25
Updated: 2012-04-25
Packaged: 2017-11-04 08:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/391574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iambic/pseuds/Iambic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another day, another match, another concussion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	stop the world (melt with you)

Bolin hits the ground in the third round, feels the breath shove out of his lungs, and barely gets an arm up to protect himself from the onslaught of excited enemies. Those fools think that once he's down, he's an easy target. An earthbender's never down until he hits the drink. But the stage is spinning, the crowd sort of muting, and boy is Mako gonna be mad at him later.

He kicks the stone beneath his back up, pushing himself upright in time to bear the brunt of Team Scorpion's water whip, but Mako's already got 'em on the defensive now. One, two, redirect the water flow -- Bolin's new favourite trick. Three, from the front leg, planting, the shot that gets blocked, and then the leg comes back up for a switch kick and Scorpion's waterbender is down and out.

But the other two figured out he's reeling, because they're ignoring Mako and Hasook now, concentrating their attack. Fighting dirty, one shot after another to push him down, not back. Bolin's blocks are getting weaker, now, his head is heavy and dull, he's slowing down. They can push him back, it doesn't really matter, but Mako will yell if he goes over this late in the game, this close to winning. 

There's a grunt and then a far-off roar, that Bolin only notices because he's waiting for it, and the fire stops coming. He throws up another wall, elbow strike to the center target, and the strike hits home. Then it's another water whip to the helmet and he falls to his knees, stomach turning over, head going soft and eyesight fuzzing out. He takes a few more hits after that -- too many to count, not enough to knock him off the ring -- and then suddenly the bell rings and he's jolted back into the present, the crowd is screaming, and someone's hoisting him from behind, lifting him to his feet. 

Mako wheezes as he sets Bolin upright -- not such a big brother after all, eh? Eh? but the effort turns out to have been in vain. Bolin lurches sideways as soon as he's supporting himself, and Mako has to catch him again, Hasook taking his other side this time.

"They got him hard this time," Hasook's saying somewhere far away. "Heh, looks like they're getting smarter!"

Mako's arm around Bolin's waist tightens, but he doesn't say anything as they limp out of the ring. The silence is getting kind of awkward, but there's this big gap between Bolin's brain bits and words are not getting through that well. 

"They're just... jealous," he manages, after a moment.

"What?" Now Mako's saying something. Success. Bolin is the master of making Mako do things. 

"Of my hot bod," Bolin clarifies. 

There's another pause. "He sounds fine to me." That's Hasook, laughing again. Hasook only laughs after matches. Hasook is kind of grumpy usually. Maybe Hasook doesn't like them that much.

"Go get the medic," Mako snaps. Or maybe they're just in a fight or something. Did something happen toward the end of the match, something Bolin missed? It's possible. It's not like he was noticing all that much. And hey that's the ceiling, he's being lowered onto something soft, hey, this isn't the training room. Mako towers over him again like it's ten years ago and Bolin should maybe grab his hand or hug him around the waist like he did then. Moving's kind of a big venture. The hand'll have to do.

Mako starts, his whole self jumping but not back, Mako never backs up, he just kneels down after a moment and brings his other hand up to Bolin's, brings both up to his mouth and presses it against Bolin's thumb. 

"We won, yeah?" It doesn't really matter with his brother at his side and the world comfortably fuzzed out, but maybe he should care. Maybe he will later.

Mako's face is tight and he presses his lips a little harder before pulling away again. "Yeah, we won."


End file.
